Missouri lawmakers are set to try to overturn the governor's veto of two bills that would allow court fees to raise money for capital improvement projects.
Democratic Governor Jay Nixon argues that the bills fly in the face of legislation passed to cut down on court fines and fees in response to complaints about aggressive police efforts to generate revenue from residents who sometimes struggle to pay. But lawmakers say these bills would avoid the need to levy a general tax on residents.
The bills would allow new fees to be collected in circuit courts for Jasper, Howell, Cape Girardeau, Clay, Cole, Platte and Greene counties, along with any other circuit that serves a single, non-charter county.